Middle Years Curriculum

Woodstock School is a candidate for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP). Our educational vision holds that the purpose of education is to elicit the greatness that resides within each and every person.

We believe that great human beings live with compassion, humility, grit and creativity. As such, our set curriculum includes carefully designed learning experiences that extend well beyond the purely academic sphere; to development in our students a profound sense of self, healthy interpersonal relationships, a deep sense of global citizenship, and the skills to survive and thrive in today’s world.

Woodstock School, as well as the IB, values education more as the transformation of personal understanding and the collaborative construction of meaning, and less as the transmission of knowledge and rote memorization of facts.

Middle Years Subject Areas

The arts are a universal form of human expression and a unique way of knowing that engage us in effective, imaginative and productive activities.

Woodstock arts students have opportunities to function as artists, as well as learners of the arts. Artists have to be curious. By developing curiosity about themselves, others and the world, students become effective learners, inquirers and creative problem-solvers. Students develop through creating, performing and presenting arts in ways that engage and convey feelings, experiences and ideas. It is through this practice that students acquire new skills and master those skills developed in prior learning.

The design courses challenge all students to apply practical and creative thinking skills to solve design problems; it encourages students to explore the role of design in both historical and contemporary contexts; and raises students’ awareness of their responsibilities when making design decisions and taking action.

Inquiry and problem-solving are at the heart of the subject group. MYP design requires the use of the design cycle as a tool, which provides the methodology used to structure the inquiry and analysis of problems, the development of feasible solutions, the creation of solutions, and the testing and evaluation of the solution.

Individuals and societies encourages learners to respect and understand the world around them and equips them with the necessary skills to inquire into historical, contemporary, geographical, political, social, economic, religious, technological and cultural factors that have an impact on individuals, societies and environments.

The IB’s approach to individuals and societies includes a strong focus on inquiry and investigation. Students collect, describe and analyse data used in studies of societies; test hypotheses; and learn how to interpret increasingly complex information, including original source material. This focus on real-world examples, research and analysis is an essential aspect of the subject group.

Language is fundamental to learning, thinking and communicating; therefore, it permeates the whole curriculum. Students need to develop an appreciation of the nature of language and literature, of the many influences on language and literature, and of its power and beauty. They will be encouraged to recognize that proficiency in language is a powerful tool for communication in all societies. Furthermore, language and literature incorporates creative processes and encourages the development of imagination and creativity through self-expression.

The six skill areas in the MYP language and literature subject group—listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing and presenting—develop as both independent and interdependent skills.

The study of additional languages provides students with the opportunity to develop insights into the features, processes and craft of language and the concept of culture, and to realize that there are diverse ways of living, behaving and viewing the world.

The acquisition of the language of a community and the possibilities to reflect upon and explore cultural perspectives of our own and other communities is valued as central to developing critical thinking, and is considered essential for the cultivation of intercultural awareness and the development of internationally minded and responsible members of local, national and global communities

The study of mathematics is a fundamental part of a balanced education. It promotes a powerful universal language, analytical reasoning and problem-solving skills that contribute to the development of logical, abstract and critical thinking. Mathematics can help make sense of the world and allows phenomena to be described in precise terms. It also promotes careful analysis and the search for patterns and relationships, skills necessary for success both inside and outside the classroom.

MYP mathematics promotes both inquiry and application, helping students to develop problem-solving techniques that transcend the discipline and that are useful in the world outside school.

Physical activity and health are of central importance to human identity and global communities. They create meaningful connections among people, nations, cultures and the natural world, and they offer a range of opportunities to build intercultural understanding and greater appreciation for our common humanity.

MYP Physical and health education aims to empower students to understand and appreciate the value of being physically active and develop the motivation for making healthy life choices. To this end, physical and health education courses foster the development of knowledge, skills and attitudes that will contribute to a student’s balanced and healthy lifestyle.

Personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education plays an important role in helping students develop as responsible global citizens. Its goal is to equip young people with the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and practical skills to live healthily, safely, productively and responsibly. It covers a range of subjects which focus on three key areas – health and wellbeing, relationships and living in the wider world – with the aim of helping children and young people develop fully as individuals and as members of families and social and economic communities.

As a divisive and inclusive school, we have a holistic approach in which Religious Education (RE) enables students to learn more about their own beliefs, as well as understanding and respecting those of others. Students learn about the world’s religions and their broader social and cultural impact in a historical and contemporary context. In doing so they develop their knowledge, understanding and analytical skills, in a way that can support their wider intellectual and spiritual development.

The sciences framework aims to guide students to independently and collaboratively investigate issues through research, observation and experimentation. The MYP sciences curriculum must explore the connections between science and everyday life. As they investigate real examples of science applications, students will discover the tensions and dependencies between science and morality, ethics, culture, economics, politics, and the environment.

Scientific inquiry also fosters critical and creative thinking about research and design, as well as the identification of assumptions and alternative explanations. Students should learn to appreciate and respect the ideas of others, gain good ethical-reasoning skills and further develop their sense of responsibility as members of local and global communities.

Middle Years Programme Sciences guide

What exactly is the MYP?

Confused about the Middle Years Programme (MYP)? Find out exactly what it is and what it means in terms of your child’s education.

Middle Years Programme Assessment Criteria

In the MYP, each subject area has four areas, each with a specific set of criteria on which a student’s level of achievement is assessed. The exception is language acquisition which has six phases based on the student’s ability. From this an achievement level is awarded ranging from 0-8 with eight indicating the highest level of achievement. As students progress, so too do the criteria, with standards advancing with successive grades or phases. These criteria are the same for all students undertaking the MYP in schools around the world.

To understand more about the specific criteria for each subject area, select the relevant grade or phase and click on the links to view the achievement level descriptors for each criterion.